Seatrade Cruise News is part of the Informa Markets Division of Informa PLC

This site is operated by a business or businesses owned by Informa PLC and all copyright resides with them. Informa PLC's registered office is 5 Howick Place, London SW1P 1WG. Registered in England and Wales. Number 8860726.

Asuka II sailing a second season of domestic cruises around Japan  

CRUISE_Asuka_II_Kanazawa.JPG
Asuka II called at Kanazawa's new cruise terminal for the first time this month
NYK Cruises’ Asuka II is currently in the midst of its spring to summer 2021 schedule featuring 33 short cruises out of Yokohama, Sasebo, Kanazawa, Hakodate, Moji, Nagoya and Kobe.

The programme — carrying Japanese passengers, features mainly one-, two- and three-day cruises with a few weeklong itineraries — started from homeport Yokohama on March 26 and continues through to mid-July with the last sailing finishing at Kobe on July 16.

Kanazawa welcomed Asuka II at its new cruise terminal on April 2, and the ship returned last Saturday.  The three storey terminal was completed last year.

Sea of Japan cruise

The ship is currently on a Sea of Japan cruise which left Kanazawa on Monday and finishes tomorrow in Hakodate.

1990-built Asuka II resumed domestic sailings around Japan — calling only at Japanese ports — on November 2, 2020, featuring 30 cruises through to January 4 this year.

NYK signed a contract for a 51,950gt vessel carrying up to 744 passengers and 470 crew with Meyer Werft last month — the first contract for a cruise newbuild in over a year.